About
Hello, my name is Aileen Fitzpatrick, founder of Nourished Roots. I’d like to tell you some of my background and why I started this company, but first our mission and goals.
MISSION
Nourished Roots is dedicated to empowering women throughout their journey, from pre-pregnancy to postpartum and beyond. Using my background as a women’s pelvic health physical therapist and as a certified pregnancy & postpartum corrective exercise specialist, I want to provide resources (downloadable materials, real-time classes, one-on-one consultations, and more). With Lamaze childbirth education classes, my goal is to see women feel confident to fully embrace their unique journey. Having a foundation rooted in the truth of the Word, I aim to establish a nurturing and safe environment for healing and growth; creating a nourished foundation for every woman that passes through.
GOALS
1. To create a space where women feel nourished, refreshed, heard, empowered, informed, championed, cared for, and encouraged.
Too many things in life leave us feeling out of control or overwhelmed. It can be really difficult to finally carve out time to address our own issues. We want to create a space that feels like it was worth it, and not just another thing to fit into the schedule.
2. To be a safe space. There is never “TMI” (too much information) in our one on one consultations.
It can feel embarrassing or uncomfortable talking about pelvic health problems (i.e. pain with intercourse, peeing your pants when you run or sneeze, inability to hold back gas, etc). It can almost feel wrong or taboo to ask about some of these issues in certain circles. We want to be that safe space to navigate through these questions and issues. If we cannot adequately address your concerns, we will work on finding someone who can.
3. To give access to trusted education and one on one consultations, no matter where you are.
It can be hard to find someone you can trust and understand, when living abroad (and sometimes even in the states). It can be difficult to have consistency in care when moving frequently. We would love to be that easy to access, consistent, trusted place for childbirth education and women’s pelvic health needs by offering classes and consultations online and in person as able.
4. To make complex and complicated information simple and understandable.
It can be overwhelming, when you find out you are pregnant, are told you have a prolapse, or just can’t figure out why kegels aren’t enough to solve your issues. It can feel defeating to consistently be told you just need to relax or have a glass of wine to solve your pelvic pain issues (even before getting pregnant). What’s normal and okay to feel in pregnancy? What about postpartum? How can certain issues be addressed? There is so much information available, but it’s not all trustworthy. We want to be a place that can simplify and empower, giving moms confidence with pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and beyond. We want to be a trustworthy source to help with pelvic issues for all women (related to pregnancy or not). If it is outside our scope of knowledge or ability, we will make recommendations for how to get further help.
5. To teach women about their bodies and how we were created to function.
So many of us women do not know much about our bodies, in reality. Aileen learned so much more about her own body, when she worked through the continuing education for pelvic PT. We want to share that knowledge with whoever wants to know more. We want to be able to take this into areas around the world, where there is lack of access in other ways. We want to empower women everywhere to know how and why they were created.
My Story
Now, let me tell you a little more about myself. I was born in 1984 in Honolulu, Hawaii at Tripler Army Medical Center, “the pink hospital on the hill”. My dad is a DO and served in the Army for 21 years. My mom was a stay at home mom with a variety of jobs through the years. I have two sisters, a brother in law, and wonderful niece as well.
We moved from Hawaii when I was 2.5 years old and continued to move every 1-3 years. I graduated high school in Houston, TX, attended college at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma (K∆ - ßƐ) getting my BS in exercise and sports science, and then the University of St Augustine in Florida to get my doctorate in physical therapy aka DPT (graduating in April 2009). Over the course of my career as a PT, I have been able to work in a wide variety of settings (as a travel/ contract PT off and on, in hospitals, nursing homes, in home health, outpatient orthopedic clinics, even within the school system).
I worked and lived in a couple of places in Texas, then headed out to Colorado for a few years. Eventually, I ended up moving to Morocco for about 5.5 years. Even though I did not specifically move there to do PT work, I had many opportunities to help around my city and the country. I loved learning so much about a new culture and way of life. (Ask me more about it sometime, if you are interested.) We started a business and raised up other young leaders, working and serving in a variety of ways. In 2019, I was working on expanding our business to include a community service center, when I had to unexpectedly return to the states. Luckily, it was relatively simple to step back into working as a full time PT again, in the US.
Returning to America was difficult, especially because it was so unexpected, but new opportunities came from it. Shortly after returning, I was able to work full time as a pelvic PT in women’s health in Ft Walton Beach, FL. Being near a few military bases, many of my patients were active duty or married to someone active duty. It was an honor to serve these women. I was able to officially get certified through Lamaze to teach childbirth education classes and finish my PCES (pregnancy & postpartum corrective exercise specialist) certification as well. From as early as I can remember, I have been interested in childbirth, pregnancy and motherhood. So, being able to focus more on women’s health & pelvic health PT and childbirth education was a blessing in many ways.
Over the course of my time living overseas and since being back in the states, I have realized the lack of access many women have to learn about and understand their bodies. I have heard many traumatic stories related to deeply intimate and vulnerable moments. I have seen first hand how emotional trauma is intertwined with physical trauma and pain. I have felt limited in my ability to reach beyond the clinic I was working in, to reach women who may not have someone in a clinic near by to go see. I know many serving overseas, with no one to turn to locally, or at least no one who they can communicate with well; potentially no one they can trust. I have heard the frustration of having to PCS (aka move), right when they finally find a practitioner they are comfortable working with, and having to start over new once again. I want to play a small part in providing a safe and accessible place these women can turn to for help.
Now, I have joined a small company based in Ft Pierce, Florida. We are focused on wholly loving the people around us here and abroad in Truth. We are training others to do the same, as well as going out into the world and our community to serve people in practical ways. This has given me the opportunity to finally start this online platform to reach further than I could working in a local clinic, or teaching just in a local setting.
I want to link resources of people or organizations I know, who can help beyond my expertise, as well. Our body, mind, and soul all work together, and there are many working parts to keep in check. I want you to know what the research shows too, so you have the confidence to speak up when needed.
I hope that gives a small glimpse into who I am, and the heart behind Nourished Roots.
Thanks for giving me a chance to help you out. Feel free to reach out with any questions at help.nourished.roots@gmail.com.